Mining machine longwall guide structure

ABSTRACT

In a mining machine, the rear wall of each channel section of a scraper conveyor is detachably connected with a casing member of a casing section in which a chain driving the chain connectors of the cutter support of a cutting apparatus is located. The guide rail for the chain connectors is fixedly secured to the casing member and forms a rigid unit with the same on which other casing parts can be supported.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Gunter Blumenthal Westerholt; Heinz Kunzer, Heme/Westphalia; Klaus Spies, Dortmund-Wellingholen, all of Germany [21 Appl. No. 881,760

[22] Filed Dec. 3, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [73] Assignee Klockner-Werke Aktiengesellschalt Duisburg, Germany [32] Priority Dec. 4, 1968 [33] Germany [54] MINING MACHINE LONGWALL GUIDE STRUCTURE 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[51] Int.Cl E2lc35/12 [50] Field of Search 299/34, 43, 32'. 198/204 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,458,235 7/1969 Romer et al. 299/34 FOREIGN PATENTS l,2 I 7,309 5/l966 Germany 299/34 Primary Examiner- Ernest R. Purser Attorney-Michael S. Striker ABSTRACT: In a mining machine, the rear wall of each channel section of a scraper conveyor is detachably connected with a casing member of a casing section in which a chain driving the chain connectors of the cutter support of a cutting apparatus is located. The guide rail for the chain connectors is fixedly secured to the casing member and forms a rigid unit with the same on which other casing parts can be supported.

PATENTED DEC 7197:

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1 MINING MACHINE LONGWALL GUIDE STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF TI IE INVENTION Mining machines for coal and other seams of minerals are known which combine a scraper flight conveyor with an endless transporting chain by which the support of a cutter or coal plough is moved along the channel sections of the scraper flight conveyor. The casing of the transporting chain is detachably attached to a wall of the scraper channel.

The cutting apparatus requires a reliable guidance in order to prevent that it is separated from thescraper conveyor, and particularly an upward movement of the scraper conveyor and cutting apparatus must be prevented.

Due to the guidance of the cutting apparatus relative to the scraper the guide rails of the chain means, which are engaged by chain connectors, and the parts of the casing guiding the chains, are under great stress, particularly bending stresses.

In accordance with the prior art, the guide rails for the chain connectors are detachably attached, independently of the casing, to the rear wall of the channel section. Other casing parts are detachably attached in the same way to the rear wall of the channel section. A casing constructed in this manner does not offer great resistance to bending, and has furthermore the disadvantage that the assembly of the casing, and of the respective parts of the cutting apparatus is difficult, time consuming, and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to provide in a mining machine, a rigid casing for the chain of the cutting apparatus which is compact and easily assembled.

Another object of the invention is to combine the guide rail of the cutting apparatus with a casing member in a rigid unit which can be detachably attached to the respective channel section. 7

Another object of the invention is to relieve the channel sections of the stress produced by the chain connectors and chain of the cutting apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to increase the rigidity of the channel section by a casing member secured to the same.

With these objects in view, the casing section of a cutting apparatus which is correlated with a channel section of the scraper conveyor, is characterized in that the rear wall of the channel section of the scraper conveyor is secured to a casing member, preferably a plate, which abuts the rear wall of the channel section, and is fixedly secured to the guide rail of the chain connectors to form a rigid unit.

The casing member is detachably attached to the rear wall I of the channel section, and since the guide rail is fixedly secured to the casing member, it is not necessary to attach the guide rail to the channel section. The casing member and the guide rail form two legs of a rigid angular unit which are capable of sustaining vertical and horizontal stresses produced by the plate of the cutting apparatus which is moved under the channel sections and carries the chain connectors rearwardly of the same.

Due to the combination of the casing member with the guide rail in a rigid unit, all stresses transmitted from the cutting apparatus are sustained by the rigid unit so that the respective channel section and the other walls of the casing are relieved of stresses.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a scraper conveyor including channel sections extending along a seam face, each channel section having a bottom wall, a front wall adjacent the seam face, and a rear wall; a cutting apparatus including a cutter, supporting means mounting the cutter adjacent to the wall and seam face and being movable along the channel sections, said supporting means including a plate under the channel sections and chain connectors secured to the plate and located rearwardly of the rear walls of the channel section; chain means attached to the chain connectors and being driven for moving the supporting means with the cutter along the channel section; a guide rail disposed parallel with the channel sections rearwardly of the same for guiding said chain connectors during movement of the chain means; and a plurality of easing sections coextensive with the channel sections, respectively, and located rearwardly of said rear walls of the channel sections, respectively, each casing section including a casing member having an attaching portion abutting the rear wall and detachably attached to the same, and being fixedly secured to the guide rail for forming a rigid unit with the same. Other parts of the casing are supported by the casing member.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rear wall of each channel section is slanted at an angle of 45 rearward and upward, and the casing member is an angular plate bent at an obtuse angle along a line so that thelower portion of the plate is parallel to the slanted rear wall, and can be attached to the same in an abutting position. Connecting brackets are fixedly secured to the lower portion of the angular plate, and to a flat metal bar which forms the guide rail for the chain connectors of the cutting apparatus.

The upper portion of the plate is preferably vertical, and fixedly secured to a horizontal cover wall which projects rearwardly above the chain means. The other parts of the casing are also connected with the plate and supported by the same.

The unit formed by the plate, connecting brackets, and guide rail is substantially located under the slanted rear wall of the respective channel section so that the space is fully used and a compact construction is obtained. The rigid frame unit fonned by the plate, the connecting brackets, and the guide rail is particularly suited to take up the stresses which are produced by the moving supporting means of the cutting apparatus, and act in different directions. Due to the fact that the guide rail can be placed under the attaching plate, the chains can be placed closer to the channel sections of the scraper conveyor. The simple and reliable connection between the casing and the rear wall of the channel section is particularly advantageous since the angular casing plate and the legs of the same reinforced by the connecting brackets and guide rail, permit a firm gripping of the slanted rear wall of the respective channel section.

Due to the connection between the lower portion of the angular casing plate with the guide rail by the connecting brackets, the width of the lower portion of the interior of the casing in which the lower run of the chain is guided, can be widened toward the front and the channel section. Coal particles can enter between the connecting brackets into the casing and travel laterally until discharged.

Preferably, carrier brackets are secured to the angular casing plate rearwardly projecting from the same between the upper and lower run of the loop formed by the chain means and the location where the carrier brackets have to be secured to the casing plate is detennined by the bending line, so that the required operations are simplified and less expensive.

In another embodiment of the invention, the rear wall of the channel section is vertical, and the casing member is a planar plate detachably secured to the rear wall of the channel section, and directly welded to the guide rail to form a rigid structure resisting bending in two directions.

The novel features which are .considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating a mining machine including a scraper conveyor and a cutting apparatus disposed along the working face of a seam;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section illustrating a mining machine structure according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the joint between two casing sections of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective rear view of a casing section in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an elevation illustrating the joint between two casing sections in the embodiment of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective rear view illustrating the casing section according to the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. I to 4, as best seen in FIG. I, a mining machine is disposed adjacent the working face of a coal seam and includes a scraper conveyor having channel sections I, and a cutting apparatus including a cutter 3 located forward of channel sections 1. Advancing means are provided rearwardly of the mining machine for moving the same continuously forward as cutter 3 removes coal from the working face of the seam.

As best seen in FIG. 2, each channel section I has lateral walls la in the front and rear slanted at an angle of approximately 45 in upward and rearward directions, and an intermediate horizontal wall forming two chambers for the upper and lower runs of the chain conveyor 2.

The cutter 3 includes a body carrying the cutting tools and being secured to a plate 4 located under the channel sections I and being movable along the same. Cutter 3 is located substantially above the front wall Ia of the channel section I, while plate 4 projects rearwardly beyond the rear wall la of the respective channel section, and carries chain connectors 5 attached to the lower run of a chain 6 which is driven in the usual manner, as shown in FIG. I, to move chain connectors 5, plate 4, and cutter 3 along the channel sections 1.

Each channel section 1 is correlated with a casing section in which the upper and lower runs of the chain 6 of the cutting apparatus are located.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, each casing section includes a front wall in the form of an angular plate 7 having an attaching portion 7a at the lower end thereof which is slanted at the same angle as the rear wall Ia of the respective channel section I, and abuts the same. The upper portion of the angular plate 7 is vertical. A horizontal cover or top wall 8 is welded to the upper plate portion and rearwardly projects from the same above the space in which the upper run of chain 6 is located. Cover member 8 has an upward directed end flange secured by bolts and nuts to a rear wall 11, and to tie bars 17 whose upper ends are secured to the upper end of a top closure member 20 whose lower end is secured by nuts and bolts to the upper end of the upper portion of the angular plate 7. Casing parts 8 and 20 form a duct for cables supplying current to the motors driving chain 6 and scraper conveyor 2.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, at least adjacent the ends of easing plate 7, carrier brackets 9 are fixedly secured to the same and rearwardly project between the upper and lower runs of chain 6. Carrier brackets 9 are welded to casing plate 7, and have free ends projecting through openings 16 in rear wall 11 so that the tie bars 17 can rest in recesses 15 of the carrier members 9. Each tie bar 17 passes through an opening in a bar 18 which is secured to the rear wall 11.

The lower plate portion 7a of easing plate 7 is connected by connecting brackets plates 12 with a front guide rail 10 which is partly embraced by chain connectors 5 which are located in a gap formed by guide rail I and a guide rail 11' welded to the lower end of rear wall 11. Connector brackets 12 are welded to portion 7a and to guide rail 10, and form with the same rigid frame structure capable of sustaining strong bending forces which may be applied by the chain connectors to the guide rail 10. Preferably, guide rail consists of a wear resistant material. The frame formed by the attaching portion 7a, connecting brackets 12, and guide rail 10 is substantially located under the rearwardly slanted rear wall In of channel section I, since guide rail 10 is substantially located in the plane of the upper portion of easing plate 7. Four connecting bracket plates 12 may be provided along the length ofa channel section I and a casing section. On the front face of the upper portion of easing plate 7, hooks I3 are secured, preferably by welding. Aligned steel rods are welded to the upper end of the rear wall Ia of the channel section I, which are engaged by the hooks I3, or by a hook-shaped bar extending along the entire length of the casing section. Due to the abutment of plate portion 7a on the rear wall la, the casing plate 7 is detachably secured by hooks I3 on the respective channel section. A nut and bolt connection, not shown, may also be provided for detachably attaching plate portion 7a to the rear wall Ia of the respective channel section.

The carrier brackets 9 are laterally protected in the region of chains 6 by steel rods 14 which are welded to the carrier brackets 9. Steel rods 14 end before the free end of the respective carrier bracket 9 which is provided with the groove 15 in which the lower ends of the tie bars 17 are located.

At the joint between two casing sections, overlapping plates 21 are provided which cover the gap formed between relative moving casing sections. Furthermore, it is preferred to weld lugs 12a to the ends of rear walls II, and to connect the same by a nut and bolt connection 22 which is preferred if the easing sections and channel sections have to be supported in a steeply inclined position.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the front and rear walls Ia of the casing sections are vertical, and detachably connected with the lower portion 7a of a casing plate 7 whose lower end is located at the level of the lowest part of channel section I. The rigid guide rail 10, which has a flat rectangular cross section, is welded to the lower end of portion 7a and forms a rigid structure with the same capable of sustaining vertical and horizontal bending stressed transmitted from the chain connectors 5. Above the guide rail 10, flat iron brackets 12 are welded to the top face of the guide rail 10 and to the rear face of attaching portion 7a, and protect bolts 12".

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of mining machine constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a casing section of a mining machine including a casing member detachably attached to a channel section of a scraper conveyor, and fixedly secured to the guide rail of the chain connectors of a cutting apparatus, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

I. In a mining machine including a scraper conveyor having channel sections, each channel section having front and rear walls, and a bottom surface; cutting apparatus including chain means located rearward of said rear wall and having upper and lower runs; and chain connectors attached to said lower run and moving along a path parallel to said channel sections, in combination, a guide casing structure having guide casing sections coextensive with said channel sections, respectively, each casing section comprising a casing front wall having a lower portion secured to said rear wall of the respective coextensive channel section and having a bottom edge located above the level of said bottom surface; a top wall secured to said front wall rearward projecting above said upper run; rearward projecting carrier brackets secured to said casing front wall between said upper and lower runs; a casing rear wall detachably secured to said carrier brackets and to said top wall so that said casing front and rear walls are located on opposite sides of said chain means; and parallel front and rear guide rails secured to the lower portions of said casing front and rear walls, respectively, and having rectangular cross sections, said front and rear guide rails forming a gap for guiding said chain connectors along said path.

2. A guide casing structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front guide rail is spaced from said lower portion of said casing front wall; wherein said rear wall of said channel sections and said lower portion of said casing front wall are rearward and upward slanted and abut each other; and wherein said guide casing structure further comprises connecting bracket plates welded to said lower portion of said casing front wall and to said front guide rail so that the space between the bottom edge of said slanted lower portion of said casing front wall and said front guide rail opens downward and rearward.

3. A guide casing structure as claimed in claim claim 1, wherein said rearward projecting brackets project through openings in said casing rear wall and have free ends formed with recesses; and tie bars in said recesses abutting said casing rear wall.

4. A guide casing structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising flat brackets welded to said lower portion of said casing front wall and to said front guide rail; and nut and bolt means connecting said lower portion of said casing front wall with said rear wall of the respective channel section and being protected by said flat brackets.

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1. In a mining machine including a scraper conveyor having channel sections, each channel section having front and rear walls, and a bottom surface; cutting apparatus including chain means located rearward of said rear wall and having upper and lower runs; and chain connectors attached to said lower run and moving along a path parallel to said channel sections, in combination, a guide casing structure having guide casing sections coextensive with said channel sections, respectively, each casing section comprising a casing front wall having a lower portion secured to said rear wall of the respective coextensive channel section and having a bottom edge located above the level of said bottom surface; a top wall secured to said front wall rearward projecting above said upper run; rearward projecting carrier brackets secured to said casing front wall between said upper and lower runs; a casing rear wall detachably secured to said carrier brackets and to said top wall so that said casing front and rear walls are located on opposite sides of said chain means; and parallel front and rear guide rails secured to the lower portions of said casing front and rear walls, respectively, and having rectangular cross sections, said front and rear guide rails forming a gap for guiding said chain connectors along said path.
 2. A guide casing structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front guide rail is spaced from said lower portion of said casing front wall; wherein said rear wall of said channel sections and said lower portion of said casing front wall are rearward and upward slanted and abut each other; and wherein said guide casing structure further comprises connecting bracket plates welded to said lower portion of said casing front wall and to said front guide rail so that the space between the bottom edge of said slanted lower portion of said casing front wall and said front guide rail opens downward and rearward.
 3. A guide casing structure as claimed in claim claim 1, wherein said rearward projecting brackets project through openings in said casing rear wall and have free ends formed with recesses; and tie bars in said recesses abutting said casing rear wall.
 4. A guide casing structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising flat brackets welded to said lower portion of said casing front wall and to said front guide rail; and nut and bolt means connecting said lower portion of said casing front wall with said rear wall of the respective channel section and being protected by said flat brackets. 